Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Why should I make fun of others?Recently, in the newspaper, 'The Hindu', I read two of the letters to the editor. The following are the copies of them.(I do not know if I am infringing any copyrights act here by reproducing them. If notified, I shall remove the entry).

First one:The media should enjoy full freedom to criticise religious myths and mythological beliefs in any manner without fear of threats from hatred-spewing fanatics who constitute a very low percetage in any community. Well-meaning citizens, political leaders, and the media in general should learn to ignore such developments without blowing it out of proportopm.(Joy Eapen, Vennikulam, Kerala)

Second one:As two Danish citizens presently travelling in India and enjoying the friendliness of its people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, we deeply deplore the offence caused by a newspaper of our country. It was, as The Hindu's editorial put it the other day, indeed a nasty and needless provocation. We should like all Indians to know that the newspaper in question represents the more reactionary and narrow-minded elements of our society. Please believe us: There is another Denmark that advocates understanding instead of conflict, respect, and dialogue instead of prejudice and arrogance. We are confident that eventually that Denmark will prove the strongest. (Torben Munkholm & Anders Johansen, Hornslet, Denmark)

First of all thanks to you both Torben and Anders, for putting the effort to tell the Indian populace that there are people in Denmark, (well, in the 'west') who still thinks in the right perspective. Why don't the advocates of freedom of expression understand that a nasty and needless provocation arose from a radical reactionary and narrow-minded element in Denmark society should be condemned, instead of being protected? Why don't the person who wrote the first letter understand that any power and any freedom will become an farce in the wrong hands as it happened in the case of the Danish cartoonist.

"Let me do what I want; others be @##ed. " That might be what the Danish cartoonist thought.That is what Vishwa Hindu Parishad thinks.That is what Lashkar-e-thoiba thinks.That is what Thaliban thinks.That is what the advocates of freedom of expression who do not know the limit think. The world will be better off, without all these fanatics.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

What is this? Hindus trying to be Muslim fundamentas? Now I see light. There is nobody called Muslims fundamentalists in this whole univers. It is just fundamentalists and fanatics... who want the whole world should be revolving according to their illconceived notions. Does not make any difference if it is the Christians warring each other; or Muslims out to get anybody else or Hindus trying hard to acquire all any bad traits shown by anybodyelse. These hooligans want people to stand up and take notice. Rs.51 crore!! In India, you get a full meal for Rs.12($0.28). And about 30% of the second biggest population cant afford to spend this Rs.40(less than one dollar) per day to feed themselves. And this @#$ offer Rs.51 crores to satiate their own bloody ego.

So who the hell is this "Hindu Law Board"?read thisAnd who is this Mr.M.F.Hussain who paints nudes of Goddesses? I don't want to search the net for him. There will be tons of writings about him and the "freedom of expression" which seems to be as sacred as the Gods and Goddesses themselves.Certain people feels that they have the freedom to express anything and certain others believe that they have the freedom and duty to believe that certain things are sacred. So why is it that these two sections of the society cannot respect the other's view points?Will this Mr.Hussain be of lesser greatness if he can suppress his urge to do something which may cause a very big rift in the society. Will that Danish cartoonist be liable for prosecution if he agreed to honour other people's faiths?The answer is a big NOOOOOO. But these people thing that "It is my life; I do what I want to do."

And the lunatics and fanatics have a field day. From their side also, they just do what they believe is right. Kill, kill kill.

I wait to see if anybody gets killed, or if we see a new nude painting of another goddess.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Thinking about a new culture in the roadYesterday, I had a small experience which makes me think twice about my own behavioural pattern. It was morning 8 O' clock. My wife and myself were riding the motorcycle enroute office. It was a bylane and all of a sudden, there is an auto-riksha making its entry into the road; but its tail-lamps first. Obviously the peson was taking the vehicle out from the garage, but the garage is so close to the road and no way he can take it out in any other way. But it is happening in a sharp corner too. So there was a vehicle in a corner doing a blind backword walking. And we were traversing the curve without bothering to honk!It was a lucky miss for us. But I was infuriated and a dialog was started, but in mild terms. A "sorry" from the other driver's side, or a neglect from my side could have eliminated the confrontation. But it was not so. The person run away from the site and a woman who was watching the scene from inside the garage starts talking. I become more furious and shouts at her. Another man comes out from the garage and shouts at me. I do the same back. My wife starts grumbling at them. Other people starts to take an interest in the scene.Grumbling we leave the site. My wife starts to say something about making our motorcycle's horn ok. I shout at her.Why! Why do we behave like this? We are all so impolite at each other. It is a terrible situation in this small state of ours. The roads are not safe. The general unrest in everybody's life is mirrored in the road everyday. I hope we will definitely see a day when the other driver just says "Sorry". And a day that I honk properly. Yes, properly. We honk too much at anywhere, except where it should be done.

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Palghat - Madurai - Manamadurai - RameswaramThe trip to Rameswaram is a bit confusing, like any other travel. Indian Railway information system is just as great as it could be. I do have a confirmed sleeper ticket from Palghat to Madurai. Earlier, I could have bought a single ticket from Palghat to Rameswaram. But now the Madurai to Rameswaram route is being changed to broad gauge. I think this work is going on for the past couple of years. And the work is complete between Madurai and Manamadurai stations. So what happens? We reach Madurai first with a reservation. Switch from metergauge to broadgauge. Reach Manamadurai. Swith from broadgague to metergauge. Reach Rameswaram.Well. The nice person at Palghat railway information gave me this much idea. Do you know what information the lady and her superwisor at Ernakulam railway station gave me? Sorry, there is no train service between Madurai and Rameswaram!!!That was just sickening to see this kind of lack of coordination in the railways. But from Indian Railways, you cannot expect anything better.

Monday, February 6, 2006

Rameswaram?It is almost the southernmost tip of India. And next week, I am going there. Pilgrimage, exactly. Gundu will be along with me, and her parents.We just want to wash off all the sins accrued in our various early lives. Lee wants some good coorful pictures from the place, but am afraid we won't have enough time for sightseeing there. In fact I am afraid the journey will be absolutely boring.

Anyway, the train tickets are booked. This time, the train tickets are booked through internet using www.irctc.co.in. The tickest are still not received. I hope they will be homedelivered day after tomorrow.

Sexy sensexWhat is afoot in the National stock xchange? Seems the Sensex has reached unfamilier heights for an average Indian. Do u want to see the 1000 to 10-000 points journey of Sensex? Read the following article.http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/feb/06bspec.htm

See, the 6000 points were clocked on February 11, 2000. And it took another 5 years until June 20, 2005 to reach the points 7000. And after that, it is in overdrive. In nine months time, it races 3000 points.Well, I am concerned. 'cause I have invested something in the funds. And continue to invest in funds using the SIP route. Every month when the monthly installment is due, the Sensex seems to race, and my potential buying power seems to go down. On the other day, they were telling me that the market has "nothing against you. it is nothing personal" . Hard to believe.